Rivera and McDermott comment on how much they will use the 3-4

[csx]

If they do intend to switch full time to a 3-4, we won't know about it until they do it. They're not going to announce it and basically let all the players know they're lame ducks to be traded away if they don't fit the scheme. They'll slowly build the roster and playbook to what they want.

I don't know. When other teams have switched it's been announced, no? I don't believe you show up at the first game and then find out. I'm probably misunderstanding what you meant.

[mj4life]

our version of the 3-4 will more than likely look like what dallas, houston & san diego run. the d-line will play mostly one gap & CJ would be used more like Demarcus Ware .if you google bum phillips 3-4 you can see alot of similarites to his defense & what most people associate with 4-3 defenses

[jarhead]

Outside of situational 3-4 looks neither Johnson nor Hardy are 3-4 DEs.

Thanks. Not an ideal situation ......I guess just use for certain blitz packages is all I can figure

[CheeseCP]

Edwards would be the NT. McClain would be one DE. Not sure who the other would be. We definitely have enough people on the roster to fill the OLBs but no true ILBs for a 3-4. I understand the idea of being flexible in the different formations you can run but I think the more teams that switch to the 3-4 the better it is to run a 4-3. When you think about the draft and most of the teams are focusing on the players that fit the 3-4 then that means the ones that fit the 4-3 will be more readily available.

[panthers55]

harrison can rush the passer or drop back into zone coverage but also covers rb's & te's in single coverage. CJ can drop back into zone but doubt we would want to single him up much. IMO no matter how we line up, the basic principles of the defense will be a 4-3 under with some tweaks based on what our personnel can do.

I would agree that Johnson wouldn't be great in man coverage. I think the issue is that he can't play both schemes well as long as they want him to be a DE in a 4-3. He needs the muscle and bulk to rush the passer and hold the edge but it interferes with his ability to cover in space and keep up with RBs and TEs. There aren't many guys who can play the DE in a 4-3 and still have the speed and athleticism to play an OLB in a 3-4 and play the pass. If they lined him up at OLB and he went after the QB 75% of the time it could be a different story.

[panthers55]

Edwards would be the NT. McClain would be one DE. Not sure who the other would be. We definitely have enough people on the roster to fill the OLBs but no true ILBs for a 3-4. I understand the idea of being flexible in the different formations you can run but I think the more teams that switch to the 3-4 the better it is to run a 4-3. When you think about the draft and most of the teams are focusing on the players that fit the 3-4 then that means the ones that fit the 4-3 will be more readily available.

Beason and Kuechly would both be great as ILBs in a 3-4.

[jarhead]

In a pass happy league where the TE is used in more of the passing game how do think it will change the defenses? Which if any defense is better suited? It was very interesting and in the Ray Lewis interview where he said he lost 30 lbs to respond to the pass dominant offenses.Who is best to cover the TE the lb or safety?To me the keys will be pressure and coverage of TEs and Rbs.It seems to me that the type of defensive player in the future will need to be more versatile/.That is why I like the pick of Luke so much.

I dont think we have the talent to stop the NO offense yet but we are pretty close to be able to sweep the Falcons.Our defense needs to hold teams to under 21 points to be a playoff contender.How are we going to pull this off?

[CheeseCP]

Beason and Kuechly would both be great as ILBs in a 3-4.

Kuechly mayble. Beason could get by just because he's so damn athletic but he is definitely built for the 4-3.

[panthers55]

In a pass happy league where the TE is used in more of the passing game how do think it will change the defenses? Which if any defense is better suited? It was very interesting and in the Ray Lewis interview where he said he lost 30 lbs to respond to the pass dominant offenses.Who is best to cover the TE the lb or safety?To me the keys will be pressure and coverage of TEs and Rbs.

I don't think you can say one style of defense is better or worse or that TEs for example should be covered by safeties more than linebackers for example. I think that each week is a matchup of specific players and schemes designed to take advantage of the opponent. Hence the reason that we are going to use the 3-4 and the 4-3 depending on the situation.

Up until this year especially with Davis hurt, we really didn't have a speedy linebacker who could cover that well in space. With Kuechly we now have a linebacker who could cover the Jimmy Grahams or even a Darren Sproles. At this point I would trust him more than I would using Charles Godfrey for example. On other teams though such as Green Bay, having Woodson at safety after playing corner for years would make him a great option to cover TEs.

I don't think there is one formula that fits the bill as much as finding the matchups you can exploit which will change from week to week. But I do think that you will see a migration to linebackers who are better in pass coverage and can tackle as well as play in space. Even now there are a number of safeties who are converted corners and that number might grow.

[CheeseCP]

I don't think you can say one style of defense is better or worse or that TEs for example should be covered by safeties more than linebackers for example. I think that each week is a matchup of specific players and schemes designed to take advantage of the opponent. Hence the reason that we are going to use the 3-4 and the 4-3 depending on the situation.

Up until this year especially with Davis hurt, we really didn't have a speedy linebacker who could cover that well in space. With Kuechly we now have a linebacker who could cover the Jimmy Grahams or even a Darren Sproles. At this point I would trust him more than I would using Charles Godfrey for example. On other teams though such as Green Bay, having Woodson at safety after playing corner for years would make him a great option to cover TEs.

I don't think there is one formula that fits the bill as much as finding the matchups you can exploit which will change from week to week. But I do think that you will see a migration to linebackers who are better in pass coverage and can tackle as well as play in space. Even now there are a number of safeties who are converted corners and that number might grow.

I definitely agree with this.

[panthers55]

Kuechly mayble. Beason could get by just because he's so damn athletic but he is definitely built for the 4-3.

Great players like Beason can play in either scheme. And Kuechly was projected as an ILB in a 3-4 through the draft so it isn't a maybe.

[DaCityKats]

CJ is just as athletic as Harrison, and Ware drops back into coverage like 15% of snaps in a game. if we are running both, and we run a 3-4 look 15 out of 50 plays than CJ would probably drop into coverage maybe 2 or 3 with the other 13 him blitzing coming after the QB.Hali also doesnt drop into coverage much. Fua and Kearse could get snaps at NT and DE.McClain could get some snaps at DE so can Ngubweo(sp).Hardy since struggling at run support has gained the weight to be a DE but again he needs to take the coaching on playing the right technique to be successful vs the run. i like the ideal of this defense running both looks.

[mj4life]

I would agree that Johnson wouldn't be great in man coverage. I think the issue is that he can't play both schemes well as long as they want him to be a DE in a 4-3. He needs the muscle and bulk to rush the passer and hold the edge but it interferes with his ability to cover in space and keep up with RBs and TEs. There aren't many guys who can play the DE in a 4-3 and still have the speed and athleticism to play an OLB in a 3-4 and play the pass. If they lined him up at OLB and he went after the QB 75% of the time it could be a different story.

which is my whole point on this whole switch to the 3-4 debate. CJ might line up as a OLB but we won't ask him to do much more than he already does.

[jarhead]

I don't think you can say one style of defense is better or worse or that TEs for example should be covered by safeties more than linebackers for example. I think that each week is a matchup of specific players and schemes designed to take advantage of the opponent. Hence the reason that we are going to use the 3-4 and the 4-3 depending on the situation.

Up until this year especially with Davis hurt, we really didn't have a speedy linebacker who could cover that well in space. With Kuechly we now have a linebacker who could cover the Jimmy Grahams or even a Darren Sproles. At this point I would trust him more than I would using Charles Godfrey for example. On other teams though such as Green Bay, having Woodson at safety after playing corner for years would make him a great option to cover TEs.

I don't think there is one formula that fits the bill as much as finding the matchups you can exploit which will change from week to week. But I do think that you will see a migration to linebackers who are better in pass coverage and can tackle as well as play in space. Even now there are a number of safeties who are converted corners and that number might grow.

I agree so what can we do to hold the Falcons to under 3 TDs?